Students Share Their Experiences with USDA Officials

It was a luncheon filled with food, conversation, and experiences of Cal State San Bernardino students who shared their anecdotes as interns and delegates with visiting dignitaries from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Gregory Parham, the assistant secretary for administration for the USDA, and Carolyn Parker, the director of Advocacy and Outreach for the federal agency, visited CSUSB as part of their week-long tour of Hispanic Serving Institutions in California. CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales welcomed the USDA officials during a luncheon, held earlier this month, which was attended by more than 75 students, faculty and staff at the university’s Santos Manuel Student Union Events Center. Morales put the spotlight on who he noted as the best of the university – its students. “Our students are an incredible group of young people and not so young people, who are hungry and dedicated to improving their lives and giving back to their community,” he said. Seven students, many of them the first in their families to attend college, each gave a brief testimonial of their experiences as interns and delegates for various entities and conferences including The Washington Center, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, the Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, USDA Watershed Management, USDA Natural Resources Careers and the CSUSB Water Resources Institute. Student Owen Odigie, who introduced the other students, told of his experiences during his summer internship at the Washington Center, where he served with students from all over the world. His roommates were from China and Afghanistan. At the interns’ graduation ceremony, Odigie was chosen as the commencement speaker, addressing more than 500 students. “I’m very thankful for that experience,” he said. “I think that as students here at Cal State San Bernardino, there are times where we think we might not be able to compete nationally or globally. But I’m here to tell you that you definitely can and you will succeed if you believe in yourself. It was an amazing experience,” Odigie said. “So don’t be afraid to get out there.” Valeria Regalado-Valles, a CSUSB senior who was a delegate at the recent HACU conference, said the experience “opened a whole new world of opportunities for me that I didn’t know existed. Companies are there. You get to speak with professionals and network with them and see what they have to offer.” Michael Umana, a senior, a HACU delegate and another first-generation college student, thanked the CSUSB faculty, staff and administrators for their support. “All these individuals really dedicated their time and effort to teaching us skills not only to be a better individual, a better student, but applying that to the real world so that I could make a difference.” Bianca Perez, who was a delegate to the Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) conference, was able to attend through the help of the university’s Pass-Go Program and USDA sponsorship. “I got to speak to a professor who is doing research in diabetes,” Perez said. Research into the disease is her passion because diabetes runs in her family: it claimed the life of her mother and older brother. “I am the only girl in the family of seven brothers and the first to attend college,” Perez said. “So statistically I’m not supposed to be here. So I really hope that there are more opportunities in the future for students like me to attend things like this. Without this sponsorship of the USDA I wouldn’t have this wonderful experience.” Oscar Cardenas, a physics major who attended the SACNAS conference, said he met two physics professors from Yale University. “I was able to converse with two of the professors from one of the most prestigious universities in the country,” Cardenas said. “And during the conference I was able to attend sessions that inspired me to go on further with physics which reignited my passion for astrophysics.” Sandra Jimenez, an intern for the CSU Water Resources Policy Institute housed at CSUSB, said, “I was recently able to present my research and data at the WRPI conference in San Francisco. Not only has WRPI opened new doors for me and other students. They are helping me shape into the person that I am and will become.” Jimenez has since been hired to work for the WRPI. Robin Estrada, a geography major who was an intern for the Water Resources Institute while at San Bernardino Valley College, said she received a $15,000 scholarship from the USDA that led to her transferring to Cal State San Bernardino. “I’m the first in my family to graduate in an upper division college,” Estrada said. “The scholarship has allowed me to attend conferences, which has led me to knowing what I want to do in the future – GIS and geography and working for the California Geographical Society. I want to do that, especially going out in the field.” After the student testimonials, Assistant Secretary Parham praised the students for their hard work and accomplishments and urged them to consider working for the USDA. “The USDA is not a very formal agency. We do a lot of good work in a lot of good places, and we need good students,” Parham said. “If you’re interested at all in public service, there is no better place than the U.S. Department of Agriculture. I say that after years of experience.” “The experiences you have today are going to shape your lives. You already have recognized that. I strongly encourage you to pursue your dreams,” he said. “I congratulate you for what you have done and also congratulate you for what you’re about to do.”